Culture Diversity in G. Hofstede’s Model with Reference to English—Arabic Proverbs

Abstract

This study investigates the crucial replay relationship between proverbs and culture, then more emphasis has been put upon the role of proverbs in revealing national culture. The meaning of ‘culture’ and the various implications of this concept is discussed through the context of English and Arabic proverbs. A special attention has been paid to the religious and heritage features and their impact on people’s behavior in both England and Arab Emirates society in particular. Hofstede’s (1980, 1991) theory of cultural models is adopted to better understand the meaning of the national culture. Five dimensions of this model (power distance, uncertainty-avoidance, individualism-collectivism, and masculinity-femininity, long-short term orientation) were suggested to explain the implications and cultural values that categorize the particular culture from another. The paper analyzes several culture values through English and Arabic proverbs. Although culture diversity mainly reveals culture difference, there are common aspects between both communities.